Department of Numbers

Chico, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Chico rose 0.8 percentage points in September 2020 to 9.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.5 percentage points lower than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Chico peaked in April 2020 at 15.7% and is now 6.1 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 8.8% in August 2020, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.8 percentage points. You can also compare Chico unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate September 2020 Month/Month Year/Year
National 7.9% -0.5 +4.4
California 11.1% -0.1 +7.2
Chico 9.6% +0.8 +4.7
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with September 2020 data as October metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Chico, California, National

Chico, California monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Chico, California Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Chico peaked in April 2020 at 14,707. There are now 5,775 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 8,255 in August 2020, the number of unemployed has now grown by 677. Chico employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Chico, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons September 2020 Month/Month Year/Year
Chico 8,932 +677 +4,138

Number of Unemployed Persons

Chico, California Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 California
Unemployment Rate		 Chico
Unemployment Rate		 Chico
Unemployed
October
2020		 6.9% 9.3% — —
September
2020		 7.9% 11.1% 9.6% 8,932
August
2020		 8.4% 11.2% 8.8% 8,255
July
2020		 10.2% 13.5% 10.8% 10,087
June
2020		 11.1% 14.9% 11.9% 11,265
May
2020		 13.3% 16.4% 14.0% 12,824
April
2020		 14.7% 16.4% 15.7% 14,707
March
2020		 4.4% 5.5% 6.1% 6,047
February
2020		 3.5% 3.9% 4.6% 4,556
January
2020		 3.6% 3.9% 4.7% 4,602
December
2019		 3.5% 3.9% 4.6% 4,516
November
2019		 3.5% 3.9% 4.7% 4,605

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers. ↩

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